Europe's heavy-handed regulatory approach is backfiring economically. By imposing increasingly stringent compliance frameworks—particularly in digital finance—policymakers are inadvertently pushing talent, capital, and innovation elsewhere. The unintended consequence? A gradual erosion of competitiveness in a sector where agility matters most. When the cost of compliance outweighs the benefits of participation, businesses and investors vote with their feet. It's self-inflicted damage wrapped in good intentions.